Top Controls Engineer Jobs in Los Angeles, CA

Designs, delivers, and leads the Guidance, Navigation, and Controls subsystem for small satellite programs. Responsibilities include GNC design and analysis, flight control software development and verification, sensor/actuator selection, interfacing with systems and program teams, managing cost/schedule/risk, supporting satellite integration, test, and on-orbit operations, and providing technical leadership and mentorship as the REA for program GNC delivery.

Design, implement, validate, and sustain safety-related ride and show control systems. Troubleshoot downtime events, generate engineering changes, review vendor designs, produce documentation and maintenance procedures, support commissioning and major overhauls, and perform root cause analysis to improve reliability and safety.

Designs, builds, integrates, and maintains automation systems and ground support equipment for spacecraft testing and manufacturing. Develops PLC frameworks and EtherCAT tooling, evaluates real-time control architectures, designs and wires electrical cabinets, and commissions systems end to end. Partners with propulsion, avionics, GNC, and manufacturing teams to deliver reliable test infrastructure, including propulsion stands, environmental chambers, instrumentation, and high-pressure systems. Establishes sustainable engineering practices for maintainability and rapid team onboarding.

Designs, builds, integrates, and maintains automated test systems and ground support equipment for spaceflight hardware. Develops PLC frameworks and EtherCAT tooling, evaluates real-time control architectures, designs and wires electrical panels, commissions systems, and debugs hardware. Partners with propulsion, avionics, GNC, and manufacturing teams to deliver reliable test infrastructure. The role also establishes sustainable engineering practices and supports complex environmental, propulsion, and spacecraft qualification testing.

The Lead Design Engineer is responsible for Mechanical Flight Controls, ensuring safety and compliance with FAA regulations, providing design solutions, and collaborating across teams for aircraft safety and performance.

Seeking a Senior Design Engineer for Mechanical Flight Controls, overseeing design solutions, compliance, and troubleshooting for aerospace projects.

Designs, programs, commissions, and troubleshoots industrial machinery and control systems for R&D, testing, and production. Responsibilities include electrical and fluid schematics, PLC software in TwinCAT, industrial hardware selection, HMI development, safety compliance, risk assessments, and collaboration with end users, vendors, and manufacturers. The role requires ownership of equipment design from concept through commissioning and a flexible schedule with travel as needed.

Designs, develops, commissions, and troubleshoots industrial machinery and control systems for R&D, testing, and production. Responsibilities include electrical and fluid schematics, TwinCAT PLC programming, industrial hardware selection, HMI development, safety compliance, system debugging, vendor coordination, and collaboration with end users. Requires a relevant engineering degree, at least two years of experience, flexibility, and willingness to travel. ITAR-related work authorization eligibility is required.

Designs and maintains embedded C firmware for motion-control and motor-drive products. Responsibilities include control firmware architecture, algorithm implementation, code reviews, static analysis, testing, hardware bring-up, debugging, validation, documentation, and verification planning. The engineer collaborates with senior staff in an aerospace environment and develops expertise in motor control, control-loop design, embedded systems, and real-time performance.

Designs, programs, tests, and troubleshoots PLC, HMI, electrical, instrumentation, drive, and process control systems for high-speed beverage packaging and brewing equipment. Creates electrical schematics, supports control networks, performs root cause analysis and continuous improvement, and ensures GMP, HACCP, and FSMA compliance. The role also mentors electricians and automation technicians, supports CMMS activities, and collaborates with operations leaders across the manufacturing facility. Flexibility to work all shifts, weekends, and holidays is required.

Develops and tests guidance, navigation, and flight-control algorithms for manned and unmanned aircraft. Responsibilities include designing control laws, modeling aircraft dynamics, integrating software with simulation environments, conducting performance and flying-qualities analyses, supporting hardware-in-the-loop and flight testing, analyzing flight-test data, and preparing technical analyses for design reviews.

Designs, implements, verifies, and tests guidance, navigation, and control algorithms for manned and unmanned aircraft. Develops control laws, autonomy logic, flight-dynamics models, and simulation tools; performs stability, performance, and flying-qualities analyses; supports hardware-in-the-loop testing, flight tests, data analysis, and design reviews. The role requires active Secret clearance and Special Program Access, with travel up to 20–25%.

Lead the design, analysis, verification, and validation of flight control systems for next-generation aerospace vehicles, focusing on flap actuation during hypersonic reentry and transonic flight. Develop simulations, conduct performance trade studies, support hardware-in-the-loop and flight testing, integrate systems with multidisciplinary teams, document technical work, and mentor GNC engineers.

Design and own guidance, navigation, and control systems for high-speed interceptors. Develop guidance laws, flight-control loops, actuator models, state-estimation and sensor-fusion pipelines, and high-fidelity 6DOF simulations. Build embedded real-time GNC software, conduct hardware-in-the-loop and ground intercept testing, and analyze Monte Carlo and worst-case results. Collaborate with sensing, perception, propulsion, actuation, embedded, and vehicle-design teams to deliver reliable autopilot performance.

Leads the architecture, programming, integration, troubleshooting, and lifecycle management of PLC, robotic, HMI, electrical, and data acquisition systems for manufacturing automation. Establishes controls standards, ensures UL safety compliance, integrates MES and OEE platforms, drives optimization, mentors technical staff, and develops the long-term automation roadmap. The role supports multiple sites and requires cross-functional collaboration across Engineering, Operations, and Quality.

Collaborate to design and implement automation systems for production, ensuring efficiency and reliability in the manufacturing process.

Design, build, and operate instrumentation, DAQ, and automated test control systems for spacecraft testing. Develop test automation (LabVIEW, Python, MATLAB), commission and calibrate sensors, troubleshoot hardware/software integration, perform post-test data analysis, and maintain data management and requirements traceability in hazardous test environments.

Design, implement, and own embedded firmware architecture and control algorithms for body systems (windows, closures, lighting, actuators). Lead hardware bring-up, integration, validation, and testing on benches, lab cars, and vehicles. Apply functional safety, author technical documentation, drive cross-functional feature development, and develop automation for unit, SIL, and HIL testing.

Design, implement, and validate firmware architecture and control/estimation algorithms for vehicle body systems (windows, latches, motors, lighting). Lead hardware integration and bring-up on test assets and vehicles, develop tests (unit/SIL/HIL), collaborate cross-functionally, and participate in functional safety analyses to move features from prototype to high-volume production.

Design and deliver instrumentation and control systems (PLC/SCADA) for manufacturing clients. Lead I&C design and estimation, perform job walk assessments, specify instrumentation, conduct root-cause analyses, document process requirements, and support installation/start-up and multidisciplinary project delivery.

Own locomotion policy development for robots, focusing on self-traversal across various surfaces using simulation and hardware. Collaborate with mechatronics teams to optimize robot capabilities.

Lead design and implementation of pointing, acquisition, and tracking (PAT) for an FSO laser terminal. Develop algorithms and control loops for FSMs/precision actuators, create pointing budgets, build HIL testbeds, prototype and validate PAT performance, and support optical alignment and system testing across optics, photonics, and modem teams.

Lead end-to-end GNC development for spacecraft, from design and simulation through hardware-in-the-loop testing and flight. Perform trajectory and dispersion analysis, ADCS sizing, Monte Carlo studies, and develop 6-DOF simulations. Integrate and test sensors/actuators, support on-orbit and reentry operations, and coordinate with external agencies.

Lead end-to-end GNC development including design, simulation, HIL integration, and flight test. Perform trajectory and dispersion analysis for reentry, size ADCS hardware, implement autonomous attitude/orbit control and rendezvous algorithms, run Monte Carlo analyses, integrate sensors/actuators, and support on-orbit and reentry operations and coordination with external agencies.

Design, develop, commission, and hand off automated production and test equipment for mass manufacturing and refueling of portable microreactors. Architect and write maintainable PLC code, ensure safety and code compliance for robots and electrical systems, size components, manage cabinet builds and field wiring, and create clear HMI/SCADA interfaces.